Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) at Contra Costa
CONTRA COSTA ULTRASOUND COURSES 2024
January 20th and 21st, 2024
June 22nd and 23rd, 2024
See more information.
Ultrasound is like radiology in your pocket. It can be used every single day with just about every patient that you see. It's the future of clinical practice and I think it is going to change the face of medicine.
- Dr. Erin Stratta
Global Health Fellow
Mission
To promote the use of POCUS in family medicine by training family physicians with basic POCUS skills to provide quality, timely, patient centered and cost effective care.
Background
POCUS has rapidly established itself as the standard of care in many areas of medicine, and is especially well-suited for physicians who work in under-resourced settings locally and abroad. Since 2010, the Contra Costa Family Medicine Residency program has provided 2 day POCUS training during orientation for all Contra Costa interns, and is a recognized leader in POCUS training for family physicians.
Programs
Ultrasound is a game changer. It allows me to spend more time with patients at the bedside, building rapport, meanwhile arriving at potentially life-saving diagnoses in real time.
- Dr. Mena Ramos
Global Health Fellow
- 2-day POCUS training in June for incoming residents and Global Health fellows, including:
- Trauma/FAST exam
- Echocardiography
- Pulmonary
- DVT
- Renal
- AAA
- Gallbladder
- 1st Trimester OB
- Rapid Ultrasound Evaluation of Shock (RUSH exam)
- Advanced applications, including ocular & intro to Muscluoskeletal
- Pathway for POCUS Credentialing during residency and fellowship
- 2-4week ultrasound elective in second or third year of residency, which includes scanning shifts in the emergency department and advanced one-on-one teaching with echo techs, ultrasound techs, cardiologists, emergency physicians and radiologists. The course includes pre/post-tests and online lectures.
- Global health fellows receive extensive training and serve as instructors in the annual POCUS training course and at other family medicine residencies and international sites.
- Contra Costa has helped establish and strengthen POCUS programs in family medicine residencies. Contra Costa instructors have taught 2-day POCUS courses at UCSF-affiliated Santa Rosa and Natividad Family Medicine residency programs, among others.
Even small hospitals in Kenya have ultrasound machines. POCUS helps you rule out emergencies like ectopic pregnancies, and help you not just rely on your intuition or other investigations
- Sam Mucheru, PGY-3
Aga Khan Family Medicine Residency, Nairobi, Kenya
If you would like help in setting up a POCUS program or 2-day course at your residency, or would like to attend our annual POCUS course at Contra Costa, please see the resources on this page and contact the directors of the ultrasound program: Neil.Jayasekera@cchealth.org and Matthew.Fentress@cchealth.org.